


Partners

by garands



Series: Zutara Month 2k16 [11]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Zutara Month 2016, slight AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-27
Updated: 2018-04-27
Packaged: 2019-04-28 12:49:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14449620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/garands/pseuds/garands
Summary: "But she could assume. She would be a bride, a Fire Lady, a mother, a lover, a partner. Two parts of one whole, a united front. She would be the face of two nations."





	Partners

**Author's Note:**

> for day 11: partners  
> literally posting this a year and a half later l o l  
> anyway, this is set in an alternate timeline after the end of the war in which katara and zuko are kinda maybe gonna get married as a diplomatic step but also bc katara has the hots for zuko

“We could be partners?” The word rolled off his tongue easily, smooth like the water lapping in the pond behind them. She wasn’t fazed by his offer; her face betrayed no sign of her real emotions.

“Katara, I’ll need an answer soon.” Zuko stood and left, leaving her beneath the shade of a tree.

Katara had known this was coming. She hadn’t been formally told until just now, but the idea had been toyed with since the end of the war. Naturally the only solution for keeping the new Fire Lord contained was to marry him off to the Southern Water Tribe diplomat. Naturally. She wasn’t quite sure what the implication of partners meant, no one had given her any details just yet.

But she could assume. She would be a bride, a Fire Lady, a mother, a lover, a partner. Two parts of one whole, a united front. She would be the face of two nations. It was an incredible amount of pressure to endure, especially at such a young age. She had no obligations to anyone. She could just as easily refuse and leave Zuko lost in the political nightmare that would be finding another suitable match, or… She could say yes. She could agree, give herself to the Fire Nation and represent her home. She owed that to herself. She could see herself being happy here.

She spared the turtle ducks a glance. A small group of baby turtle ducks floated drowsily near the shore, bumping into each other. The tree above her rustled gently, dropping a blossom in her hand.

Katara stood. She deserved to be happy. After what she had been through – what they had all been through, the smallest repayment would be a happy life, a happy marriage.

She pushed open the gates of the courtyard and turned to the main hallway. She knocked on the door that was most generously decorated, and there he stood. In all of his lanky and awkward glory. He took a second to examine her. He had no idea how she truly felt about this arrangement, for all he knew she would just walk out. This could very well be the last time he saw Katara.

He released a weary sigh. “What’s the decision then?”

“I think… yes.”


End file.
